ABSTRACT
Conformational analysis of various forms of glucuronic acid dimers as the model structures of oxidized cellulose has been performed using molecular mechanics with a CVFF force field. The effects of ionization of carboxyl groups, ion pairing with explicit consideration of counter-ions (Na+, Mg2+) and the implicit inclusion of a solvent effect via the dielectric constant, epsilon, have been simulated. The non-ionized glucuronic acid dimer shows conformational behaviour similar to that of unoxidized cellobiose. The ionization of COOH groups leads to strong destabilization of C and D conformers (with both COO- groups on the same side of the molecule), while complexation with counter-ions leads to strong stabilization of these forms which yield highly wound low-pitch helices. An increase in the solvent polarity has an attenuating effect on the behaviour described above.
